HRHDuchessNapsalot

Based on lethekk's post about not working, and because it's Monday and we could probably all use a little fantasy time, tell me what you would do if you won the lottery! Note that I didn't specify what the jackpot was. Dream big or dream small; it's all up to you.

Here's what I'd do. This is assuming that I won a big jackpot, because a piddling couple of million is hardly going to keep me in champagne baths for the rest of my life.

Step One (okay, after hiring a lawyer and financial planner and claiming the money and all that): Donate 10% to charities, right off the top. This would not be the end to my charitable donations but imagine what large windfalls could do for various groups!

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Step Two: Buy my parents two houses. The first would be their house in their current town. Something moderately sized, with two master bedrooms (they have slept in separate bedrooms for the last 6 years and are the happier for it) and at least one or two extra bedrooms for grandkids, that sort of thing. The second would actually be purchasing my late grandfather's house from his estate, as that's where they want to move to in about 5-10 years. But it needs to be refurbed pretty heavily first.

Step Three: Buy a house! With some laaaaaaaaand.

Step Four: Quit my job (i'd probably do that as step 0.5) and spend two weeks doing absolutely nothing. Then get into a volunteer/exercise/etc routine.

Step Five: Have another kid. Or three.

Step Six: Travel Everywhere!

Step Seven: Rinse, repeat. (not the kid-having part)

Step Eight: Open up the greatest independent book store in all the land, where I offer paid maternity/paternity leave for 12 months for my staff, salaries that people can actually live on, and a shop for people who really love books. Cozy chairs and a fireplace, a cafe that serves breakfast and lunch, a liquor permit so that we can offer wine and whiskey by the fire, and a casual, read-before-you-buy policy towards our books. Oh, and book clubs. All the book clubs.

Of course, I'd also set up a modest trust fund and college fund for my daughter, give some money to family and in-laws and set up a trust for my parents so that they could finally retire. And then buy property and invest and give the rest to charity, cause it ain't like it's coming with me when I die. Oh, and maybe a private jet.